Disclaimer: I do not own West Side Story or any of the characters contained therein. Raquel, however, is mine, so please don't steal her!

Author's Notes: Thanks to those of you who have read and reviewed! It makes me happy! lol. This fic is too much fun... I'm not sure how long it will last, but I'm pretty sure it will be really long. lol.

Chapter 15: Baby John and the Jets

Baby John returned to the Jets that night without Raquel. She had returned to her apartment building. Baby John was a little sad about leaving her, but she promised to see him the next day.

When he got to the cellar, Anybodys was back. She was, as always, the first to speak. "You been with the spic, Jailbait?"

Baby John wanted to smack her a good one, but he held himself back. "I was out with Raquel, if that's what you mean."

Ice eyed Anybodys angrily. "Quiet, Anybodys. I threw you out once, and I'll do it again."

Anybodys stuck out her tongue, but Ice pretended not to notice, and turned back to face Baby John. "How was... Wait. Where is Raquel?"

"She went back home," Baby John replied, a little disappointed. He'd liked having Raquel around, though he knew that the Jet's cellar was no place for a girl to live.

"But I thought..."

"They took her back in."

Ice looked confused but decided to give Baby John the benefit of the doubt. "OK, good... I guess."

Baby John sighed. He missed Raquel already. He loved her. Of that, he was absolutely certain. He couldn't wait to be with her again. He could only hope she felt the same about him.

Ice sighed as he sat in the corner of the room.

"What's wrong, Ice?" Baby John asked as he sat down beside the older boy.

"Nothin'," Ice replied, cooly.

Baby John didn't believe him. They had been friends for a long time, and Baby John wasn't stupid. "Really?" he asked.

"It's just Velma's all..." Ice replied, shrugging as if it was nothing important.

Baby John sighed. Velma had been different since the Rumble. She would hardly let Ice out of her sight, afraid of losing him like Graziella had lost Riff.

"Won't leave you alone, huh?" Baby John said.

"Nope. I'm a man, Baby John. Not a six-year-old who needs babysittin'." Ice's almost frightening blue eyes showed his annoyance, and a touch of sadness as well. "I don't get it."

Baby John smiled, almost giddily, which he hoped wouldn't annoy Ice. But after all, Baby John was in love. "It'll be OK," he said with a youthful hope in his voice like Ice hadn't heard in Baby John in a long time.

Ice looked at his friend and saw the sparks in the younger boy's eyes. "Oh, no!" Ice said, in a strange tone Baby John had never heard before.

"What?" Baby John asked, looking quite confused.

"Last time I saw somebody actin' like that, it was Tony."

"Huh?"

"Baby John, you've got it bad."

"Got what..."

"It's the worst buggin' disease a guy can get," Ice interupted.

Baby John groaned. "Ice, you've never beat around the bush like this before! Now spill it!"

"You've got it for Raquel. Boy, leave that dame alone. You saw what happened to Tony! And, pretty as that girl is, she'll have some guy that'd be more than willin' to put a bullet in you for her."

"I already met him," Baby John said, his calmness surprising even him. "Del Campo."

"But... aintcha worried he'll do somethin' to ya?"

"Ice... I'm sicka bein' scared and worried. I got a feelin', ya know?"

"I gotta feelin', too. And it sure ain't a good one."

"Ice, Raquel's... she's..." Baby John felt strange spilling his guts to Ice. But he had to talk to somebody, and the usual suspect, A-Rab, was busily annoying Anybodys.

"She's special?" Ice supplied.

"Yeah! She treats me like... Like I'm Tony, or Riff, or you. Like I'm a man. And a big man, too. Not just some little wimp. She acts... I don't know, just different."

"Which is all well and good if you don't get yourself killed."

Baby John shook his head. Everyone treated him like a baby. Heck, who was he kidding? He was "Baby" John.

"Whatever you say, Ice..." Baby John said, with a bored sigh to punctuate it.

Ice patted Baby John's shoulder. "Just take care of yourself, buddy-boy," the older Jet said with a smile.

OoOoOoO

A/N:

Ash and Co.- I wish you could send Benji... What's the big idea, A-Rab, of putting atomic bombs in reviews? My cousin got a puppy for Christmas, and he's already up to my hip. But he's half-Lab, half-German Shepherd. Your dog ate your homework for real? lol. Did the teacher believe you? Poor Baby John. The thing is, with the crowd you run with, Baby John, no wonder the teacher didn't believe you! dodges A-Rab's switchblade, which A-Rab just threw A-Rab! Anyways, yes, boys... Ash shall explain to you. Yeah, Baby John's grandma's great. I kinda modeled her from my Dad's mama, who thinks that her grandkids can do no wrong. lol.

Tonyboy- Glad you liked the chappy! I agree. We all need someone like Grandma Elin, who sees the best in us, even when we don't. Yeah... I guess I should have figured out that you didn't know that about James Dean since you, at the point of your review, had never seen any of his movies. But, if he was only 5'8", then Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo must have been really short. lol. Because he looked tall next to them. I'm glad you liked Rebel. I thought it was such an incredible movie. It was one of the first to really show how teens feel, and how you don't have to be poor to become rebellious. Anyway, Tobey Maguire's only 5'8"? Wow! I didn't know that! He's a great actor. I love him! And Tom Cruise! 5'7". I wouldn't have guessed that, either. It's pretty easy to post pictures if you have them on your computer. All you have to do is go to a site like and get a username, then you upload the picture to that site, and you can either post the HTML code or just the URL. Wow. I'm sure God has a reason for what's happening, because there is a time and a purpose for everything. I hope that he separated you two so that he could save her and draw you closer to Him, and then make your friendship, and maybe more someday, even stronger when it comes again. I am really glad to pray for her! I hope she hasn't done any of those things either. I'll pray that when you see her again, she will be the same sweet girl you knew before.